Dispensing assemblies and related methods

Abstract

A dispensing assembly for dispensing fluid generally includes a container having a handle located toward an upper portion of the container, and a sprayer having arms extending away from the sprayer. The arms of the sprayer define a channel configured to receive at least part of the handle of the container within the channel to thereby couple the sprayer to the container. Such a dispensing assembly can be made by forming the container with a handle located toward an upper portion of the container, and forming the sprayer with the arms such that the arms can be used to couple the sprayer to the handle of the container, where the arms extend away from the sprayer and define the channel for receiving at least part of the handle of the container into the channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A dispensing assembly for dispensing fluid, the dispensing assembly comprising:
 a container having a handle located toward an upper portion of the container for use in carrying the container, the container further having a forward wall defining a recess; and 
 a sprayer having a clip portion for use in coupling the sprayer to the container, the clip portion defining a channel configured to receive at least part of the handle of the container within the channel to thereby couple the sprayer to the container; 
 wherein the recess of the container is configured to receive the sprayer when the sprayer is coupled to the container such that the sprayer is disposed within a footprint of the container. 
 
     
     
       2. The dispensing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the clip portion of the sprayer includes first and second arms extending away from the sprayer, the first and second arms defining the channel. 
     
     
       3. The dispensing assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the handle of the container includes a groove configured to receive at least part of the first and second arms of the clip portion of the sprayer therein when the sprayer is coupled to container. 
     
     
       4. The dispensing assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the handle of the container is positioned generally between the first and second arms of the clip portion of the sprayer when the sprayer is coupled to the container. 
     
     
       5. The dispensing assembly of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first and second arms of the clip portion of the sprayer includes a lip configured to extend at least partly around the handle of the container when the sprayer is coupled to container. 
     
     
       6. The dispensing assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the second arm of the clip portion of the sprayer includes a free end defining a lip configured to extend at least partly around the handle of the container when the sprayer is coupled to the container. 
     
     
       7. The dispensing assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the first arm of the clip portion of the sprayer is generally coplanar with an upper surface of the sprayer when the sprayer is coupled to the container. 
     
     
       8. The dispensing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the clip portion of the sprayer includes at least one rib configured to engage the handle of the container when the sprayer is coupled to the container to help support the sprayer on the container. 
     
     
       9. A method of making a dispensing assembly suitable for use to dispense fluid at desired targets, the method comprising:
 forming a container having a handle located toward an upper portion of the container; 
 forming a groove around at least part of the handle of the container; and 
 forming a sprayer having first and second arms extending away from the sprayer for use in coupling the sprayer to the handle of the container, the first and second arms defining a channel therebetween configured to receive at least part of the handle of the container into the channel, with the groove of the handle receiving at least part of the first and second arms, to thereby couple the sprayer to the handle of the container. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein forming a sprayer having first and second arms includes forming the first arm with a generally planar shape, and forming the second arm generally below the first arm with a generally L-shape. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein forming a sprayer further includes forming the sprayer with a head portion and a handle portion arranged in a pistol-style configuration. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein forming a sprayer further includes forming the first and second arms of the sprayer monolithically with the head portion of the sprayer. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 9 , wherein forming a sprayer includes forming the first arm of the sprayer to be generally coplanar with an upper surface of the sprayer when the sprayer is coupled to the handle of the container, and forming the second arm of the sprayer generally below the first arm and with a lip configured to extend at least partly around the handle of the container when the sprayer is coupled to the handle of the container. 
     
     
       14. A dispensing assembly for dispensing fluid at desired targets, the dispensing assembly comprising:
 a container having an upper portion, and a handle located toward the upper portion for use in carrying the container; and 
 a sprayer having:
 a head portion; 
 first and second arms extending away from the head portion, the first and second arms configured to receive at least part of the handle of the container between the arms for coupling the sprayer to the container; and 
 at least one rib disposed generally between the first and second arms and configured to engage the handle of the container when the sprayer is coupled to the container to help support the sprayer on the container. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The dispensing assembly of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first and second arms of the sprayer includes a lip configured to extend at least partly around the handle of the container when the sprayer is coupled to the container. 
     
     
       16. The dispensing assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the first arm of the sprayer is generally coplanar with an upper surface of the sprayer. 
     
     
       17. The dispensing assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the second arm of the sprayer includes a free end defining a lip configured to extend at least partly around the handle of the container when the sprayer is coupled to the container. 
     
     
       18. A dispensing assembly for dispensing fluid, the dispensing assembly comprising:
 a container having a handle located toward an upper portion of the container for use in carrying the container, the handle including a groove; and 
 a sprayer having a clip portion for use in coupling the sprayer to the container, the clip portion including first and second arms extending away from the sprayer, the first and second arms defining a channel configured to receive at least part of the handle of the container within the channel to thereby couple the sprayer to the container, with the groove of the handle receiving at least part of the first arm and/or the second arm. 
 
     
     
       19. A dispensing assembly for dispensing fluid, the dispensing assembly comprising:
 a container having a handle located toward an upper portion of the container for use in carrying the container; and 
 a sprayer having a clip portion for use in coupling the sprayer to the container, the clip portion defining a channel configured to receive at least part of the handle of the container within the channel to thereby couple the sprayer to the container, the clip portion further including at least one rib configured to engage the handle of the container when the sprayer is coupled to the container. 
 
     
     
       20. A method of making a dispensing assembly suitable for use to dispense fluid at desired targets, the method comprising:
 forming a container having a handle located toward an upper portion of the container; 
 forming a sprayer having first and second arms extending away from the sprayer for use in coupling the sprayer to the handle of the container, the first and second arms defining a channel therebetween configured to receive at least part of the handle of the container into the channel to thereby couple the sprayer to the handle of the container; and 
 forming the first arm of the sprayer to be generally coplanar with an upper surface of the sprayer when the sprayer is coupled to the handle of the container, and forming the second arm of the sprayer generally below the first arm and with a lip configured to extend at least partly around the handle of the container when the sprayer is coupled to the handle of the container.